This is not music criticism. On this blog, you will only read about music we like.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Summer Flake - Hello Friends

You may not have heard of Stephanie Crase, especially if you don't live in Australia, but you should take the time to catch up. A veteran of other bands, Stephanie -- with Antony Bourmas and Joel Cary -- now plays as Summer Flake. On her new album, Hello Friends, they weave sentimental, intimate, often melancholic stories with a solid rhythmic structure that allows Stephanie's multi-tracked voice to sooth and plead while the guitars rumble, jangle, twang and shred. The result is dream pop with a muscular core, and the vocals, arrangements and full sound provide a retro feel in several tracks. The performances are excellent, with enough fuzz and frayed edges to give the record a live performance vibe. We find Hello Friends infectious and irresistible. It grows stronger with every listen, and is one of our favorite albums of the spring.